Powerful Typhoon Dujuan Triggers Evacuation Orders for Millions in Japan
Image Source, EPA
The powerful Typhoon Dujuan is affecting various prefectures in Japan, prompting evacuation orders for approximately two million people to move to safe locations or leave their homes.
According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, the typhoon has already claimed two lives, with four people reported missing. Kanagawa Prefecture has reported four missing individuals.
Japan Meteorological Agency issued a warning citing an “immediate risk to life,” though some weather warnings have since been downgraded.
Due to the strong winds, over 50,000 people have experienced power outages, and hundreds of flights and train services have been canceled or postponed.
Dujuan is blowing at sustained speeds of 130 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching up to 194 kilometers per hour.
This storm is the latest in a series of cyclones in the Pacific region. The ‘Super El Niño’ has intensified its strength by raising ocean temperatures, which in turn has reinforced the storm-forming processes.
Authorities have urged the public to pay close attention to weather updates.
Numerous Events Canceled
Image Source, Getty Images
Dujuan has been recorded as the 25th typhoon this year in Japan. Its arrival during a five-day holiday period has led to the cancellation of many events.
Concerts scheduled for Monday at the ‘Rock in Japan’ music festival have been canceled. Additionally, the ‘Tokyo Game Show,’ a video game conference, canceled its Monday sessions.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed condolences on social media for those who lost their lives in the typhoon and confirmed she will proceed with her planned visit to the United States.
“Considering the urgent need to act, I have instructed Chief Cabinet Secretary Takehara and Minister Hosono to work with heightened vigilance,” she wrote before departing for the U.S.
On Tuesday, she is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Human Casualties
Image Source, EPA
According to the fire department in Yokosuka City, a 60-year-old woman was swept away and presumed buried alive. NHK reported that rescue teams found her deceased.
In another incident, firefighters rescued a man in his 50s trapped in a landslide in Sodegaura City, Chiba Prefecture. He was found under bamboo scaffolding and heavy machinery but was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. Police are investigating the incident thoroughly.
Fire officials in Kanagawa Prefecture received a phone call from a man reporting that his house was crushed by a landslide.
Rising Risk of Typhoons in Japan?
Image Source, CIRA AND KMA/NMSC/Reuters
Research indicates that Japan is increasingly exposed to the threat of devastating typhoons.
However, climate change is not causing a global increase in the total number of typhoons; in some regions, the number of storms may even decrease.
As temperatures rise, typhoons tend to become more powerful on average. Warmer sea waters allow storms to accumulate more energy, which intensifies wind speeds.
Additionally, warmer atmospheres can hold more moisture, causing such storms to produce heavier rainfall.
This year’s ‘El Niño’ phenomenon has brought warmer waters to parts of the Pacific Ocean, a key contributing factor.
While El Niño does not directly increase the number of typhoons, it affects their formation location, intensity, and areas impacted.
In some cases, El Niño may raise the risk of more powerful typhoons striking Japan. This typhoon is moving northward along the country’s Pacific coastal regions.
Additional reporting by Chie Kobayashi and climate correspondent Mark Pointing
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